The present invention relates to valves having a number of ports that can be used to feed a single gas, liquid or slurry supply to one or more different applications. For example, liquid media from a common supply can be provided for a number of bacteria-growth cells and air bubbles within the feed can be diverted when detected. In addition the valve can be employed as a fraction cutter in liquid and gas chromatographic separations, for instance, following an ion exchange resin from which particular ions are selectively eluded. Vapor fractions based on boiling point might also be separated with a valve of the type described in conjunction with a mass spectrometer type of analysis or separation.
Previous multiple-port valves have been of the ordinary three or four-way valve types. Complex fluid flow transfer problems are often handled by providing a complex array containing a number of such valves. Piping and control circuitry become extremely complex and cumbersome with the use of such multiple-component systems, the failure of any of which may require tedious trouble shooting procedures in order to locate, replace or repair the defective part.
Therefore, in order to avoid these problems of previous valving arrangements, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multiple-port valve that can be employed to effect fluid flow transfer from one inlet to one or more of a plurality of outlets.
It is also an object to provide such a valve that can introduce fluid flow from one or more of a plurality of inlets and into a single outlet.
It is a further object to provide such a multiple-port valve that can briefly divert undesired fluid flow into a dump outlet and subsequently return to the ordinary flow pattern.